


A Sound of Its Own

by backinthebox



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2018-12-30 17:40:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12113859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/backinthebox/pseuds/backinthebox
Summary: One-shot stories celebrating the Chaubrey friendship because there aren't nearly enough stories about it, mostly from Tumblr prompts. With complementary Staubrey.





	1. Compromised

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11059476).

Chloe entered the Bellas' house, smiling and nodding to herself as she took in the amount of activity going on, indicating that despite the floundering the Barden Bellas had found themselves doing for most of the year, they were finally shaping up and their set for Worlds was finally taking shape. She climbed up the stairs to her bedroom and walked in, finding the girl she had been looking for. "There you are! I've been looking all over campus for you."

Aubrey furrowed her brow. "We just saw each other two hours ago."

"What are you even doing here?"

Aubrey faltered, looking around briefly before she turned back to Chloe. "You told me to stay here…?"

Chloe rolled her eyes, because Aubrey could be so dense. "Why aren't you with Stacie?"

"She has a class…?" Aubrey had no idea what was going on, and Chloe was giving her no clue whatsoever.

Chloe frowned, and looked closely at Aubrey, who was used to Chloe's weird behavior, but nevertheless started to squirm. "Chloe?"

"Shush. Chloe tilted her head to the side, continuing to regard Aubrey. "Huh."

"What?" Aubrey asked warily.

"You don't look different."

Aubrey gave her a look she usually only reserved for the times when she had no clue as to what Lilly was saying.

Chloe's scrutiny faded as she switched gears and expressed her excitement. "Tell me!"

"Tell you what?"

At Aubrey's blank expression, Chloe rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Don't be coy, I saw you at the gym!"

"The—" Aubrey began, and then stopped when the question seemed to die in her throat, taking with it her pallor. "You… saw?"

Chloe nodded. "My class was canceled and I wanted to take a nap, and it's closer than the house." She explained, referring to the gym that acted as the Bellas' rehearsal space. "But you guys were there, and you looked _busy_ …"

Aubrey could feel her jaw had dropped, but she was unable to gather the composure to shut her mouth.

"Yeah, I mean," Chloe whistled. "I knew you and Stacie were serious and everything, but, _wow_."

"Wow?" Aubrey repeated.

Chloe nodded. "I mean, you're both young and technically she's of the age of consent---"

"What?" Yeah, she totally didn't yell that, or anything.

"But you guys are cute and awesome together, so I totally get why it happened."

"Chloe, that's---" Aubrey had no idea what was happening, and why Chloe was excited; Chloe was excitable in general, but if she was talking about what Aubrey was talking about, that kind of made Chloe creepy, and while Aubrey could admit that Chloe sometimes had no consideration for personal boundaries, she didn't want to think of Chloe as creepy.

"I mean," Chloe shook her head, slightly awed, "I can't imagine why you'd do it in the gym – although that's probably where everything started – but she totes said yes!"

"She—" Wait, what?

"I mean, your girlfriend gets down on her knees to propose, of course you say yes." Chloe continued.

Aubrey blinked, her brain having short-circuited. "What?"

She had to talk to Stacie.

Which was easier said than done, because Chloe had decided she had to ensure she was going to be Aubrey's Maid of Honor, and refused to let Aubrey out of her sight.

Aubrey only remembered that's what cellphones were for when Chloe's phone beeped and Chloe burst into a smile. "Awes. Let's go."

"Where are we going?" Aubrey asked worriedly, because she did not put it past her best friend to already be putting together a bachelorette party.

Or screening locations.

Or choosing her dress.

"Duh, we're having a party."

Stacie was going to kill her. "Chloe—"

Before Aubrey could say anything, the door to Chloe's bedroom opened, and Stacie walked in, instantly smiling brightly at Aubrey. "Hey, you." She then nodded at Chloe. "Hi, Chloe."

"Stacie!" Chloe greeted, and threw her arms around Stacie in a hug. She squeezed the taller girl affectionately. "This is aca-mazing!"

Stacie, never one to say no to a hug, returned the affectionate embrace before she glanced over at Aubrey, who actually looked ill. "Are you okay?"

"It's probably just hitting her," Chloe waved off Stacie's concern, stepping back and grinning at her friends. She took their hands in each of hers, and beamed at them. "Isn't this exciting?"

"It really is!" Stacie agreed, assuming Chloe was talking about the preparations for Worlds. And it _was_ exciting, now that the Bellas actually had a plan and not randomly screwing up anymore.

"Chloe," Aubrey interrupted. "Can I talk to Stacie for a sec?"

"Of course." Chloe winked at her. "I'll leave you guys to 'talk'."

"Don't say anything to the girls!" Aubrey called after her.

"I'll try!" Chloe replied flippantly, indicating how unlikely that was. "Make it quick!"

Stacie smirked at Aubrey, giving her a quick kiss. "How quick do you think we can be?"

Usually, an overture like that would have them doing more than kissing already, but--- "We can't, or she's going to go ahead and tell the girls."

Stacie tilted her head to the side, and quirked an eyebrow at Aubrey. "Tell the girls what?"

Aubrey braced herself. "Chloe saw us earlier. At the gym."

"And she's going to tell the girls about it?" Stacie asked curiously, because… _kinky_. "Didn't we lock the door?"

"We did. I guess she has a key." Aubrey exhaled, since they had assumed Beca had the only key, being captain of the Barden Bellas, and Beca's schedule was full for the whole afternoon. Aubrey looked so disconcerted, it made Stacie want to comfort her physically, and that was how Stacie ended up straddling Aubrey's lap and wrapping her arms around the blonde's neck.

"Baby, it's okay. It was awesome." Stacie reassured her. "I don't know why Chloe's so excited, but---"

"She thinks I proposed."

Stacie's arms tightened around Aubrey as she almost slid off Aubrey, losing all balance. "What?"

Aubrey grabbed her arm to keep her from falling, but her ears started to tinge pink, the rest of her face following suit. "She saw me kneeling, and you were saying yes, apparently---"

Stacie stared at her. "I'm me and we haven't had any privacy in the two days you've been here, and her brain goes to you proposing?"

"I guess! I don't know!" Aubrey exclaimed.

Stacie gaped, and then something occurred to her, making her query, "Is that what the party downstairs is for?"

Aubrey sighed, because she honestly had no idea anymore.

"Babe, you have to tell her."

"I know," Aubrey said wearily, but asked, "What am I supposed to tell her?"

"The truth?" Stacie drew out, because _duh_.

"Oh, really? Just tell her that she didn't walk in on a proposal, that she actually walked in on—"

"As opposed to her planning a bachelorette party? Or, I don't know, our freaking wedding?" Stacie challenged. "Don't you think she's going to notice when we're not setting a date?"

"Long engagement?" Aubrey suggested.

"Or that I don't have a ring?"

"You don't believe in jewelry as displays of possession?" Aubrey attempted hopefully. She _really_ didn't want to deal with Chloe giving her sad-eyed disappointment.

Stacie frowned at her. "Have you _met_ me?"

Aubrey sighed again, and slumped forward, resting her forehead against Stacie's sternum, making Stacie thread her fingers through Aubrey's hair to offer comfort. "This is going to suck."

"Hey, what's taking --- oh my God!" Chloe exclaimed, slamming the door shut when she walked back out. "Lock the door next time!"

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Rico and Isabella

Aubrey looked up when she noticed someone sitting in the hallway in front of her apartment, and she frowned when she recognized the red hair. "Chloe?"

Chloe looked up, and smiled faintly at her. "Hey."

Aubrey wanted to ask what Chloe was doing at her doorstep, but given how busy their lives have become, with Aubrey balancing graduate school with a job and Chloe doing her best in justifying switching courses so she could stay an undergraduate and continue being a Barden Bella, she knew that Chloe wouldn't be waiting for her if she didn't have a good reason. And judging from the less-than-cheery way Chloe had greeted her, Aubrey knew she would have to be careful in how she approached her best friend. Aubrey unlocked her door, and ushered Chloe inside, taking off her coat and hanging it on the wall behind the door. As she turned towards Chloe to ask her if she wanted something to drink, she found herself suddenly locked in a tight hug from her friend. "Okay…?"

"I've missed you." Chloe said.

"I've missed you too, Chloe." Aubrey told her reassuringly, hugging Chloe back.

"You should drop by the house more often," Chloe told her.

"I know," Aubrey acknowledged.

"And not just to pick up your girlfriend," Chloe chided. "Stacie sees enough of you."

Aubrey felt her face warm, knowing Chloe had a point on that one.

"We can have Shonda Thursdays again."

Which was easier back when they only shared a dorm room and Chloe didn't live with nine other girls, most of whom didn't care for the doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital or Olivia Pope and Associates.

Chloe finally pulled away from their hug, and took a deep breath.

Aubrey studied her friend, at the fragility that seemed to emanate from Chloe, and asked in concern, "Is there anything wrong?"

Chloe burst into tears, and answered, "No."

Aubrey took Chloe's hand and led her to the couch, letting Chloe sit before sitting down beside her. "Hey, it's okay."

Chloe shook her head. "It's not."

Aubrey tried to think back, racking her brain for anything she might have been told or heard about that might be the cause of Chloe's tears and despair, and briefly considered texting Stacie to ask if Beca or any of the other Bellas may have done anything Aubrey might have to hunt them down and hurt them for. Helpless and at a loss, Aubrey just held Chloe and let her cry, hoping she would get some answers soon.

The answers don't come until later, when Chloe's calmed down some and tearfully started with, "Where's Stacie?"

Aubrey actually had no idea, but her phone was in her purse on a table by the door, and Chloe was holding on to her arm in a way that made Aubrey weary to leave her, so she couldn't exactly ask.

"I'm sorry to barge in like this, I know you guys have movie nights," Chloe apologized.

"You're more important than movie nights," Aubrey assured her, even as she realized how relieved she was that she'd never had to prove that, or that neither her best friend or her girlfriend had ever tried to challenge that statement. "But what's wrong, Chlo?"

"Rico died."

Aubrey almost asked who Rico was until she remembered the primetime telenovela Chloe never missed, and she also remembered that the actor playing one half of the couple Chloe swore by had already been announced for a new show, which would explain the demise of his old character. "I'm sorry, Chloe."

"I just don't understand how he can leave Isabella like that!"

Well, sometimes fictional romances were subject to the whimsy of the creative team behind it.

But Aubrey was a good friend – no, she was an awesome friend – and she refrained from actually saying that out loud. "I'm sure he didn't want to."

"Why did he have to die, Bree?"

"I don't know," Aubrey said soothingly, of the opinion that reminding Chloe of the actor leaving the series was probably not going to be the best option.

Chloe frowned, as if she had honestly expected Aubrey to have real answers. "But their love was supposed to be endgame!"

Yes, well…

"How will Isabella have true love now?"

New casting? Aubrey didn't know. "I'm sure Isabella will find happiness again."

"You're just saying that." Chloe retorted. "And you don't know that for sure."

They increased the actress' salary to keep her on the show, so Aubrey had a _pretty good_ idea.

Chloe hiccupped as the tears started to subside, and her gaze fell upon the television set in front of the couch. She turned to Aubrey with tear-filled eyes, "Can we watch Moulin Rouge?"

Why watching a movie where another half of the main couple dies was imperative, Aubrey wasn't sure, and she definitely didn't know how it was supposed to help, but she was an awesome friend (and nobody said no to Chloe Beale), so after figuring out which of her streaming service subscriptions offered the movie – the DVD they used to watch went with Chloe when they left their shared dorm room after Aubrey's graduation – they settled in.

After Kylie Minogue made her cameo appearance, Chloe noted, "Can we have popcorn?"

Aubrey hoped she had popcorn – Stacie was supposed to bring some over – and nodded. She needed to call her girlfriend, anyway.

Finding one last pack of popcorn in her kitchen, Aubrey put it in the microwave before trying to call Stacie.

The knock on the door beat her to it.

Aubrey rushed to the door – although Chloe made no move to answer it – and opened it to find Stacie there, with a paper bag in one arm and a plastic bag in her other hand.

Stacie smiled at her. "Hi."

Aubrey wondered if the day would ever come when that smile and the way Stacie said that greeting to her would stop making her heart stutter and her insides melt, but today was not that day. "Hi."

Stacie let Aubrey take the paper bag before following her inside the apartment, placing the plastic bag on a nearby table and catching Aubrey by the front of her shirt, pulling her close. "I didn't get a kiss."

Well, she can't have _that_. Aubrey smiled, and leaned in to remedy that lapse. She doubted she'll ever get tired of kissing Stacie, either.

When they parted, Stacie smiled a slow, seductive smile, and tugged the top button of the coat she was wearing free, giving Aubrey a peek of black lace. "What do you say we—"

"Bree, who was at the door?"

What a douse of cold water.

Stacie hastily snapped the coat back closed, making Aubrey frown, and she hissed at her girlfriend, "Chloe's here?"

"I can explain." Aubrey said quickly, but was interrupted by the sound of the microwave timer.

"Is she staying?" Stacie pressed incredulously.

"She's---"

"Hey, is…" Chloe stopped when she saw who was with Aubrey. "Hi, Stacie."

Stacie, to her credit, took one look at Chloe and the tear-streaked face, and asked worriedly, "Who died?"

She was not prepared for Chloe to once again start crying.

Stacie turned an alarmed look at Aubrey. "Who died?"

"Rico was in a car accident." Chloe told her.

Stacie once again looked to Aubrey for answers, but Aubrey just gave her a small shake of her head, as if to implore her not to ask. Confused, but knowing she could trust Aubrey on all things Chloe, she hazarded, "I'm sorry, Chloe."

Chloe nodded, and held out her arms, indicating that she needed a hug.

Stacie shot another curious look in Aubrey's direction, but she acquiesced to Chloe's unspoken request.

"We're watching Moulin Rouge." Chloe told Stacie.

"Okay," Stacie replied, when they broke the hug. "Let me just go help Aubrey keep the stuff I brought, okay?"

"Okay," Chloe nodded.

After leading Chloe back to the couch, Stacie went to the kitchen, where Aubrey had disappeared to. "Explain."

"You heard her."

"Who the hell is Rico?"

"You know that show she watches every week?"

"Which— Oh." Stacie stopped, and breathed. " _Ohhhh._ Risabella."

"Yes."

Stacie used to share a room with Chloe at the Barden Bellas' house until about a year ago, when she and Aubrey officially started dating and she and Chloe agreed to avoid the complexities of Stacie dating Chloe's best friend; but they _had_ been roommates, and Stacie had been privy to Chloe's television viewing habits. Chloe had her favorite romantic pairings for a lot of the shows she watched, but her dedication to Rico and Isabella had been on a higher level, and Stacie could understand why Rico's demise had Chloe in such a state. "Contract negotiations?"

"New show."

Stacie winced, because, _yeah_ , there was no going back from that.

"Bree, can we have pizza?" Chloe asked.

Aubrey glanced at the plastic bag Stacie had been carrying earlier, which she'd brought to the kitchen.

Stacie sighed, and being closer to the refrigerator, opened the door and held her hand out for the containers. "Sure, Chloe. Half-cheese, half-awesome?"

Despite herself, Chloe's chuckle could be heard all the way to the kitchen. "You know it."

Instead of just handing the food containers to Stacie, Aubrey approached Stacie, and kissed her softly. "I'm so sorry."

Stacie gave her a crooked smile. "She's your best friend."

"Still sorry."

"Well it's not like we're gonna throw her out."

Aubrey conceded that point, shrugging, before she asked, "Is this what you were wearing when you picked up the food?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Stacie gave her another quick kiss. "But I gotta go change now."

Aubrey pouted.

"Luckily for you, I'm very understanding and take rainchecks." Stacie told her. "Go comfort your best friend and order that pizza, Boring Cheese Girl."

Aubrey shook her head, giving her one last quick kiss before she grabbed her phone, turning to head back to the couch, but Stacie called her back. "Hey, Bree?"

Aubrey turned back to her.

Stacie opened up her coat, briefly showing Aubrey a glimpse of what was underneath, and grinned at the slack expression that crossed Aubrey's face. She gave her a quick kiss as she passed the blonde en route to the bedroom so she could change her clothes. "Happy anniversary."

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rico and Isabella are borrowed from [this fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6049204).


	3. The Buddy System

She did not know, exactly, the conditions under which Aubrey had ended up working in an outdoor retreat, but Chloe could appreciate the fact that for whatever reason, Aubrey had agreed to help the Barden Bellas through their current funk.

Sure, the Bellas were being forced to bunk down in a single tent and the outhouses were ridiculously far from where their tent had been pitched, but for all of the girls' grumblings – particularly Beca, which was more than a little concerning – Chloe felt that the breakthrough they've all been hoping for was close.

Not close enough and not happening fast enough, but still, close.

Chloe was heading back towards the Bellas' tent when she espied the all-too-familiar form of a certain blond former Bella, no longer dressed in those ridiculous khakis, walking along a different path, several feet away, phone in hand and typing, her attention on the tiny screen and oblivious to the red-haired assailant about to pounce on her.

"Aubrey!"

Aubrey turned quickly, alarmed, but her alarm quickly gave way to a relieved and bright smile at the sight of her best friend. "Chloe! Why aren't you with a buddy?"

Chloe waved her hand, opting not to answer why she was wandering away from the tent on her own, and without a designated 'buddy'.

The corners of Aubrey's lips quirked downward to show her displeasure. "And you know there's a reason I specifically told you that you're not supposed to leave the marked paths," she pointed out.

"So we won't damage the grass?"

"So you don't trip the bear traps," Aubrey reminded. Her lips formed a genuine frown. "And I've told you before to form a triangle when setting up any kind of base, including camping, and you still set up your tents side by side. Do none of you listen when I talk?"

Chloe hesitated.

Because _yes,_ sometimes Aubrey's voice went shrill and listening to her was an exercise in pain.

So Chloe took the path of least resistance, and smiled brightly at Aubrey, throwing her arms around the taller girl. "I've missed you so much!"

Aubrey narrowed her eyes for a beat, trying to resist the affection while deciding if she wanted to pursue her line of questioning, but realized belatedly that she didn't really want to know if her suspicions about the Bellas' collective attention span was real or not. And she's missed Chloe, too.

They ended up sitting under a tree by the lake, watching a group go through one of the team exercises from across the camp site.

Chloe had to admit, "This is _so_ not what I ever envisioned you doing, but at the same time _exactly_ what I figured you'd be doing."

Aubrey glanced at her. "Running a retreat?"

"And bossing people around."

Aubrey smiled wryly. "My bread and butter."

"You're like an expert."

Aubrey rolled her eyes good-naturedly, and took the comment in stride.

Chloe smiled, because she knew she was one of very few people who could say such things directly to Aubrey and very rarely – if ever – face consequences, and after months of having to keep things together and whipping the Bellas into shape, it was nice to be able to fall back and rely on someone else for a little bit.

She glanced around their surroundings, and noted, "This is prettier than the pictures."

"You looked it up?"

"I wanted to make sure that when you said 'outdoor retreat' it wasn't a nice way of saying 'boot camp'."

Aubrey frowned. "Would I do that?"

"If it meant making sure the Bellas are ready for Worlds? Yes."

Aubrey could feign indignation, but she conceded Chloe's point. After a moment, she noted, "We'd look hot in camo."

Chloe laughed. "And you know I can't resist a good uniform."

"Or someone wearing a uniform." Aubrey quipped.

Chloe rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. "Yes, Aubrey, you're very hot in a uniform and I won't be able to resist you. Geez, get over your crush on me already."

"You know you'll always be the one that got away," Aubrey said dryly.

"I'm sorry that my heart belongs to another." Chloe said as a rejoinder.

Given such an opening, Aubrey couldn't resist but query: "Any luck on that front?"

Chloe scoffed. "Oblivious as ever."

"Want me to talk to her?"

"And tell her what, exactly?"

"To stop dating a Treblemaker, for starters." Aubrey replied.

Chloe considered it, and acknowledged, "You'd be consistent."

"Right?"

Chloe smiled, and nudged Aubrey slightly, a physical acknowledgment of their friendship and how happy she was to be able to just sit and talk to the blonde. They haven't really had a lot of opportunities to see each other since Aubrey graduated while Chloe stayed in Barden, but Chloe had made the call to ask Aubrey for help, and Aubrey would always be willing to take time off to help the Bellas.

After a moment, basking in the late afternoon sun and slightly-cool air, Chloe remarked, "I like it here."

"Yeah?"

Chloe nodded. "It's peaceful."

"I think the term you're looking for is 'placid tranquility'."

"Shut up, it's nice."

Aubrey shrugged.

"You don't think so?"

"I think I renewed my gun license for a reason." Aubrey replied.

Chloe frowned at her, but whatever she was about to say was interrupted when a familiar voice cut into their conversation.

"Oh, hey, I thought that was you."

Both girls turned and looked up to find Beca approaching.

"What're you doing?" Beca asked.

"Catching up." Chloe replied. "What's up?"

"No, nothing, I was just, you know," Beca shrugged. "Emily's trying to write that song of hers and everyone's trying to help in the worst possible way and we're all there so I knew you didn't have a buddy with you, so I was wondering where you were."

"Well, I'm here," Chloe assured her.

"I can see that."

There was an awkward pause that followed, with Beca clearly itching to say something but unwilling to do so, and Chloe deliberating what to say, worried that she could easily say the wrong thing.

Aubrey looked up at Beca. "When are you going to stop dating that Treblemaker?"

"When you stop being a pain my ass." Beca retorted.

Aubrey shook her head. "Charming as ever."

"You say that like you haven't missed me."

"You're tiny and worth ignoring, you're pretty easy to miss." Aubrey returned.

"Aww," Beca pretended to be heartened by the remark, even putting her clasped hands to her chest, "I've missed you too."

"Go away, Beca, we're talking about you." Aubrey told her.

That statement, it seemed, made Beca hesitate, and she actually looked conflicted on whether to leave or stay.

"Shouldn't Chloe have a Buddy?" Beca asked instead. "I remember you saying something about the Buddy System."

"I'm with one of the retreat managers, I'll be fine," Chloe pointed out.

Beca still seemed reluctant, and Aubrey reassured her, "We're fine. I promise to bring Chloe back in one piece."

Beca finally nodded, and turned to leave.

"Watch out for the bear traps," Aubrey reminded her.

Beca waved her hand dismissively as she walked away.

Chloe watched her go until Beca was far enough, before she turned back to Aubrey and asked, "Are there really bear traps?"

"Yes."

"For team-building?"

Aubrey shrugged. "Sure."

Chloe narrowed her eyes at her friend, but her attention was drawn to something across the lake, at another group jogging around the perimeter of the lake, and laughed as she said, "Let me guess."

"Cardio." Aubrey confirmed.

"The girls think I'm turning them into the world's most athletic a cappella group."

"It builds up lung capacity."

"I know!"

"We've told them this."

"I know!"

"Something's up with Beca."

Chloe sighed, and in a manner far more resigned than her previous exclamations, she acknowledged, "I know."

Aubrey looked at her in concern. "Chloe? Are the Bellas actually okay?"

Chloe huffed, and shook her head. "I don't know. I think… It's graduation, maybe? Or Worlds, or the threat that's DSM. If we don't win, the Bellas are officially disbanded and can't compete for the ICCAs, and it's the worst possible example we could set for Emily."

Aubrey was quiet, since Chloe had been very vague during their last phone call, when she'd finally asked Aubrey for help in getting the group back to some kind – any kind – of groove, and this was the first time she really had a clear picture of what the Barden Bellas were going through.

The silence that followed between them was one of contemplation, with Chloe really thinking about the state of the Bellas, while Aubrey considered what their plan of action should be.

A silence that was interrupted by Aubrey abruptly sitting up and subtly running a hand through her hair to fix it, drawing Chloe's curiosity until she noticed the approaching figure. "You're—"

"Shh."

"Hi," Stacie greeted as she approached.  

"Hi, Stacie." Chloe greeted back.

"Hi!" Aubrey said brightly.

Stacie smiled at her. "So this is where you've been hiding?"

"I've been here," Aubrey allowed.

"It's nice." Stacie told her. "Very… outdoors."

"It is, yeah," Aubrey agreed.

"I like how peaceful it is."

"Peace is nice," Aubrey nodded.

Chloe watched as Aubrey's cheeks tinted pink, as if she knew how stupid that statement sounded, too.

Stacie laughed. "It is, yeah."

This was painful to watch.

Also amusing.

"I really like the lake." Stacie told Aubrey, obviously trying to find a new line of conversation.

"It's man-made."

"Oh?" Stacie queried.

"It is?" Chloe had to ask.

Aubrey nodded at Stacie. "There was something about zoning codes and they couldn't build the retreat near a real lake – something about construction materials, human traffic, the environment and conservation of nature – so the owners built their own lake."

Stacie glanced at the lake, absently fidgeting with the thin strap of her top as she did, before she turned back to Aubrey. "Are the Bellas going to get to spend any time in this man-made lake?"

"Of course." Aubrey assured her. "I made sure at least some of your activities included the lake."

"Great." Stacie smiled at her again, and winked. "I can't wait for you to get me wet."

Chloe was almost certain that last comment made Aubrey short-circuit, as the blonde was left speechless as Stacie bade them goodbye and turned back towards the direction she had come from.

"Smooth as ever." Chloe observed.

Aubrey only stared in the direction Stacie had gone.

Chloe snapped her fingers in front of Aubrey's face, drawing Aubrey's attention back to her. "Earth to Aubrey."

"Did Stacie get hotter?"

Chloe shook her head instead of answering. "What was that about?"

"Was Stacie flirting with me?" Aubrey asked, confused.

Chloe laughed. "Yeah."

Aubrey frowned, still profoundly perplexed, before she recalled the details of their exchange and she realized, "Was I talking about zoning code?"

"And how nice peace is, yes."

"Oh my god." The mortification was profound and endless.

"Yeah," Chloe laughed some more, throwing an arm around Aubrey's shoulders and pulling her close in a one-armed hug that was only a little comforting at that moment. "I've forgotten how funny it is to watch you with a crush." She kissed Aubrey's cheek soundly. "This retreat is going to be _awesome_."

 

 

 

 


	4. The Patriot Act

Chloe didn't know what she was expecting when the door she had just knocked on opened, but a half-clad Stacie Conrad was not it.

Although, in hindsight, and given Stacie's proclivity towards sex, should she really have been surprised?

Stacie, for her part, seemed to be equally surprised, if not more so, to see Chloe at her door. "Chloe!" She all but yelped, and she peered out her door, glancing down the hallway, before turning back to her Barden Bellas captain. Chloe was almost certain that there was a tremor of nervousness in the freshman's voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Stacie." Chloe greeted. She gave her a thin smile. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"Interrupting?" Stacie asked blankly, and then blushed when Chloe indicated her outfit. "Um, no?"

"You're sure?" When Stacie nodded, Chloe motioned to the inside of Stacie's room. "Can I come in?"

Stacie hesitated, but nonetheless stepped aside to allow Chloe inside.

Chloe entered the room, and then paused. "This wasn't the room you were staying in during initiation."

"No," Stacie agreed, but didn't elaborate.

Chloe opened her mouth to question her some more, but stopped short upon realizing she was getting distracted. She shook her head. "Whatever. Where's Aubrey?"

Stacie balked, and let out a nervous laugh. "Aubrey? Aubrey's not here. Why would Aubrey be here? How would I know where Aubrey is? I don't know where Aubrey is. Aubrey is nowhere near here, nope. No Aubrey here."

Chloe looked at her, exasperated already. "You really want to do this?"

That seemed to make Stacie pause, and she asked slowly, "What are we doing?"

"You're gonna tell me you're not sleeping with Aubrey?"

Stacie stared at her, and for a long moment, Chloe wondered if she had misread all the signs and had jumped to the wrong conclusion.

Except she remembered who they were talking about, and she had been building up her evidence since she first had an inkling of an idea on what was going on between her best friend and the freshman Bella.

Chloe indicated the adjoining bathroom. "Do I start checking?"

"No." Stacie sighed, giving up the pretense. "She's not here."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, and tilted her head slightly, as if to question Stacie's outfit.

"But she's on her way," Stacie admitted. She moved past Chloe to sit on her bed, and looked up at the older girl. "How did you know?"

"You two haven't exactly been the most subtle," Chloe pointed out. And, she admitted, "I can usually tell when Aubrey's had sex."

Stacie opened her mouth to protest but snapped it shut to consider Chloe's assertion. She was about to ask Chloe for an explanation when she was interrupted by a knock on her door. She sighed in defeat. "You might as well get that."

Chloe turned and walked over to the door, opening it to find Aubrey standing there. There was a moment in which the two Bella captains just stared at each other, and then Aubrey was pushing Chloe into the room, closing the door behind them. She shook her head, and started floundering in almost the same manner Stacie had mere minutes ago. "I can explain."

"What, the part where Stacie's half-dressed waiting for you, or that your dad's at the house?"

"Your dad's at your house?" Stacie asked curiously.

Aubrey glanced over at her, and then did a double take, momentarily losing her train of thought, as she took in Stacie's appearance. She doesn't think she's seen that camisole before, and red was a very good color on Stacie.

Chloe snapped her fingers in front of Aubrey. "Focus."

Aubrey blinked, and turned back to her. "What? I mean... Did you talk to him?"

"And his law enforcement buddies to have them interrogate me on the whereabouts of General Posen's daughter, yeah." Chloe confirmed. She shuddered slightly in recollection. "I finally had to say I had to catch up with the Bellas to let them let me go."

"I'm sorry, Chloe." Aubrey said apologetically.

"You should be!" Chloe exclaimed. "We have the FBI sitting in our living room!"

"I thought your dad's in the Army," Stacie noted.

Aubrey broke her silent conversation with Chloe that was occurring mostly through eye contact and micro-expressions to glance briefly at Stacie. "He is."

"And he's with the FBI at the house?" Stacie pressed.

"It's a long story," Aubrey said tiredly, and made her way past Chloe to sit beside Stacie on her bed. She turned to Stacie. "We're gonna have to start texting on an encrypted messenger, by the way."

Stacie blinked, confused.

Chloe snorted in amusement, because Aubrey had lectured her on this before. "Patriot Act?"

"Patriot Act." Aubrey confirmed.

Chloe laughed. "You dumbass."

Aubrey shot her a dark look. "Hey!"

Chloe shrugged.

"I didn't screw up that much," Aubrey said defensively, although her tone indicated a shred of doubt in just how confident she was on that assertion.

"Uh, the FBI is hunting you down, you _did_ screw up that much," Chloe reminded, dragging over a chair and sitting on it.

At Aubrey's groan of aggravation, Stacie glanced from Chloe, to Aubrey, and back. "Do I want to know…?"

Chloe glanced at Aubrey for an answer, and despite the situation, found herself grinning at Aubrey's apparent discomfort, if the blush that was taking over her complexion was anything to go by. "Anything you want to share with the class, Aubrey?"

Aubrey shot her a glare, and then covered her face with her hands, shaking her head. After a brief pause, she turned to Stacie. "This obviously isn't happening right now, you wanna put more clothes on? It's cold in here."

"I'm fine." Stacie assured her. "You, however, seem to be a hunted woman."

Aubrey groaned. "I'm not being hunted down, but they have a few questions."

"So why are you here…?" Stacie asked curiously. She shot a glance at Chloe, who seemed to agree with the line of questioning. After all, if the FBI had been able to pin down her location enough to be _at her house_ , shouldn't Aubrey's first order of business be to talk to the Federal Bureau of Investigation?

"We had a date." Aubrey reminded.

"Uh, no offense, Aubrey, but while sleeping with a possible fugitive's kind of hot," Stacie started, "I'm no Bonnie, and you're no Clyde, and clearing your name should have been a priority."

"It's just a misunderstanding," Aubrey told her. She sighed. "And it's not the FBI I'm worried about."

Well. That momentarily took away every possible source of amusement Chloe could find in this, and she frowned. "Why is your dad here?"

"Long story." Aubrey groaned. A cursory glance at the other people in the room told her that she needed to explain that one. "I asked for a favor." She ignored Chloe's wide-eyed look of surprise, because if anyone knew how much Aubrey tried not to ask her dad for anything, it was Chloe; as she continued, "But he's probably with the FBI because he used my laptop to check his email when we were visiting relatives last month. And given his credentials, the use of a non-encrypted machine pinged alarms at work."

"How did the FBI get involved?" Stacie asked curiously.

"Patriot Act." Aubrey grumbled.

When Aubrey wasn't forthcoming, Stacie glanced at Chloe for an explanation.

"The government can screen and study any computer they want, for national security purposes," Chloe explained. "Aubrey, here, seemed to have forgotten that she once gave me this very lecture about how the FBI, the NSA, and even the CIA can access any information I put on an electronic device for communication."

"And having already been pinged because of your dad…" Stacie nodded, starting to understand.

Chloe turned back to Aubrey, finding the situation funny again, now that she knew things weren't too serious. "You know, you're always just gonna have to assume the FBI's listening in all the time."

"I know."

"Reading your sexts."

"I know."

"And getting your nudes."

Aubrey glared at her, because she was pretty sure these were the very same things she'd warned Chloe to be conscious about. "I know."

Chloe glanced at Stacie. "Did you know apps could have access to your phone camera? Aubrey here did _not_ let me hear the end of it."

"Chloe." Aubrey's voice was laden with warning.

"I know. So what was the search term that brought the FBI to our doorstep?"

"The care and maintenance of nuclear submarines," Aubrey admitted. Chloe noticed that Aubrey kept her gaze on Chloe, avoiding the girl beside her and missing the look of surprise on Stacie's face.

Chloe's expression wrinkled in confusion. "For fun?"

"For me." Stacie corrected.

Chloe glanced at her, but Aubrey just kept avoiding Stacie's careful scrutiny. "What?"

Stacie glanced at Chloe. "It's why I'm in Engineering. I want to study nuclear submarines."

Chloe blinked blankly at them. She didn't even know Stacie had interests beyond cuticle care and the E! Network.

When Aubrey still wouldn't look at Stacie, there was no telling who was more surprised – Aubrey or Chloe – when Stacie took matters into her own hands and straddled the blonde and kissed her deeply.

"Whoa. Okay." Chloe quickly looked away when she realized she'd been staring. "Warn a girl."

Chloe needed to get home and do some homework, though, and she knew that the law enforcement officers sitting in her living room with Aubrey's dad wouldn't leave her alone unless she returned with Aubrey. So she kept her gaze firmly locked on anything else but the couple on the bed – and, she realized belatedly, they _were_ a couple, not just her best friend and the freshman Barden Bella said best friend was sleeping with – and refusing to leave lest Aubrey get distracted and forget why she had to go home.

There was a murmured exchange, and then Chloe was being yanked out of her chair and pulled by Aubrey out the door.

Once they reached the elevators, Chloe gave Aubrey a smug smile as they waited.  

Aubrey tried to ignore her, but that had never worked. "What?"

"So you and Stacie."

"Yes."

"You've been keeping secrets from me."

"What do you want to know?"

"So many things."

"It's new, and it's fun, and we're still trying to figure out what this is, before we go around and—" Aubrey let her voice trail off when she realized Chloe was just grinning at her. "What?"

"Something like this," Chloe shrugged, with exaggerated nonchalance, "would be hard to keep a secret."

They exchanged a look, one they've shared over the years, and it was that very experience that had Aubrey sighing in resignation. "What do you want?"

Chloe grinned brightly just as the elevator doors opened. She hooked her arm with Aubrey's and led them into the elevator. "How about we go talk to your dad and the FBI first and let me figure out just how much you owe me."

 

 

 

 


	5. Living Conditions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for Pitch Perfect 3.

In the very short list of people Aubrey's had as roommates, Chloe Beale ranked number one, which was a pretty impressive feat considering how comfortable Chloe was with barging on people, even while they were in the shower, how often Chloe had kept Aubrey out of their shared dorm room, and the times Chloe didn't bother putting a hair tie on their door to keep Aubrey out, claiming she'd just forgotten. And Aubrey was honest enough to admit she hadn't been the most ideal roommate, either.

Their stint as roommates had been very brief: they had agreed their friendship was too important to be ruined by their living conditions, and while it had stung at the time – they were best friends, how could they be so incompatible as roommates – over time they could look back on their time as roommates fondly, even while they wondered what the hell they had been thinking.

One of the things Aubrey had loved about having Chloe as a roommate, however, was the unlimited supply of hugs. As someone who had grown up in a family that was far more reserved when it came to physical affection, Chloe had been a startling change for Aubrey. There was no shortage of excuse for Chloe to dispense of hugs, and there was also occasionally no rhyme or reason for Chloe to decide people – Aubrey – needed a hug.

Still, after all these years, Aubrey still found it startling – and not a little disconcerting – to wake up in the middle of the night with Chloe sharing her bed.

Especially since Chloe was supposed to be staying in the guest bedroom for the duration of her visit; in town for her vet school interview.

"Do I want to know?" Aubrey asked tiredly, once she had switched on the lamp beside her bed. She was exhausted, and interrupted sleep probably wouldn't help. It had been a whole day of them hanging out, even going to see Stacie and Bella for a few hours, and although it was the start of the weekend, they were going to have an early start the next day because Chloe had agreed to meet them again for breakfast because she wanted to get as much face time with the baby Bella and try to take the lead as her Favorite Aunt.

In the past, Chloe liked to resort to hijacking Aubrey's bed to corner Aubrey, either to have some kind of heart-to-heart discussion or to corner her on a topic she knew Aubrey was actively avoiding.

Chloe looked at her for a long moment, as if gauging what to say and how Aubrey would react – and how _awake_ Aubrey actually was – before she asked, "Do you think I made a mistake?"

Aubrey furrowed her brow, confused. "About what?"

"About Chicago."

Ah. That situation. Aubrey had initially wondered if the Bellas' whirlwind tour with the USO had contributed to Chloe's fast-tracked flirtation and subsequent relationship with Chicago, but then it was _Chloe_ , who fell hard and fast when she really liked someone. And Aubrey wasn't present enough in Chloe's life to really get a handle on Chloe's long distance relationship, but Chloe really seemed to like him, and he made the effort to follow through on their relationship, so Aubrey hadn't really questioned it.

Related: she did not want to talk about Chloe's boyfriend on her bed. Aubrey let out a breath. "Ice cream?"

"Yup." Chloe agreed, and they both got out of bed and made their way to Aubrey's kitchen.

For the record, Aubrey was aware of the cliché that they were two women talking over ice cream, but needs must. "What about him?"

Chloe gave her a look. "Aubrey."

"Why would you wonder if you'd made a mistake?" Aubrey pressed. She had her own guesses, but she wanted Chloe to say it.

"We'd just come from a near-death experience. Things were changing, things were moving fast after the boat." Chloe noted. "Sometimes I wonder if I just wanted to make that many changes in my life. In one night."

"Did you?"

Chloe made a face. "You're a business major, Aubrey, are you really gonna try and psychoanalyze me?"

Aubrey sighed, more from exhaustion than any kind of exasperation of the topic. "I've quit trying to do that a long time ago. I'm more concerned about the fact that you think of your relationship with him this way."

Also, she loves Chloe, but Aubrey had a strong affinity towards the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States Armed Forces.

Also Chicago didn't shy away from and actively avoid them after their faux pas in Spain, so points, she guessed.

"And why didn't you tell me earlier that you'd gotten into vet school?" Aubrey asked.

Chloe faltered a little at that, because the truth is, she wasn't sure. She knew the Bellas would have supported and encouraged her, and Aubrey would have helped in helping her find a school she'd really want to go to, but in hindsight she thinks she had been avoiding the subject for the same reasons why she'd failed Russian Lit three times to stay a Bella.

Moving on was scary. Leaving your old life behind and making changes to the next chapter wasn't always easy.

And she hadn't told Aubrey because, honestly, the girl had enough on her plate with her dad's neglect and absenteeism, which had reared its head during the Bellas' USO tour. And while part of her can look back on that time and wish she'd been more present with Aubrey, knowing more than vaguely the full extent of Aubrey's pursuit of her dad's attention and approval, she had known that spending time with Aubrey would have resulted in a full confession between them, of all the things they've been through and were going through, the things they kept and couldn't say in the light of day.

Like right now.

Chloe looked at Aubrey. "Are you really quitting The Lodge?"

Aubrey narrowed her eyes at her, displeased at the too-obvious change in subject, but nonetheless drew out a negative response. "No…"

"Then why did you—"

"Because you're right, it _did_ feel like a near-death experience," Aubrey admitted. "And in that moment, I _did_ feel like I could just move to Mykonos and become a doula." But then she added, "But I'm not going to."

Chloe quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah, and why travel all that way to assist in childbirth and support new moms when you can do that right here and you even have Bella to practice your child-caring skills, and you're totally trying to get with Stacie, aren't you?"

Aubrey hid her alarm well, but not well enough. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You have dinner with her at least twice a week!" Chloe exclaimed. "And every Friday, which, Earth to Aubrey, is a date night."

Aubrey shook her head. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, are you two dating already?" Chloe asked, faux-innocently.

"You're terrible."

"And you've had the same ridiculous crush since she was a freshman." Chloe returned. "I mean, as someone with eyes and good taste—"

"Objection."

"Overruled." Chloe replied, their years of watching courtroom dramas and Law and Order: SVU coming to play. "What I'm saying is, you should just tell her."

"And ruin our friendship? No thank you."

"You do know she won't take it personally, right?" Chloe pressed. "She'll be fine, people fall in love with her all the time."

"Yes, and that is the complete opposite of how I'd like her to react."

Chloe smiled triumphantly. "So you _are_ in love with her."

Aubrey groaned.

Chloe chuckled, and pat Aubrey's shoulder patronizingly. "She likes you too, you know."

"You don't know that."

"Maybe I do." Chloe said in a sing-song voice, coyingly trying to tempt Aubrey into pursuing the argument.

Aubrey knew better. "Can we please talk about Chicago again."

"Fine, but this isn't over."

"It really is."

"It's cute that you think I'm just gonna let this go," Chloe responded.

"Have you told Chicago about how you feel?"

"No." Chloe gave her an incredulous look. "Why would I do something stupid like that?"

"Because you're having second thoughts?" Aubrey reminded.

"That's not what I said," Chloe protested.

"Chloe."

Chloe subsided, and allowed her protest to fade away. "Fine. I'm not sure if I'd call it having second thoughts, I'm just—"

"Asking if starting a relationship with him was a mistake," Aubrey gently pointed out.

Well, if Aubrey was going to put it that way.

"I mean, you always said you'd never date someone in the service," Chloe reminded.

Aubrey conceded that point, because honestly, she probably, at one point, would have said something like that, considering how she'd grown up with a career serviceman as a father and around other families with at least one family member in the military. They weren't all her like her dad, but she'd watched enough marriages fall apart because some of them just prioritized their duty over family.

And while she admired that about them, she knew she could never deal with that in her own relationships.

"But that's me," Aubrey argued. "And my issues. You didn't grow up with a man who considered success and failure as a matter of life or death."

People tended to think of Aubrey's anecdotes of her father as hyperbole. Chloe knew better. She also knew that while Aubrey's dad loved his daughter, he was also the same man who showed his affection so sparingly that Aubrey almost believing that her success was the only way to get him to pay attention.

Honestly, Chloe was surprised Aubrey hadn't responded in the opposite extreme of just rebelling against anything and everything General Posen stood for, but then again Aubrey liked women, so maybe that was its own form of a quiet rebellion.

"I've only known Chicago for a few weeks before we started dating, though." Chloe noted.

"Chloe, you know I love you, but you have to know you've had relationships that have lasted for far less time than you've known Chicago _before_ you even kissed him."

True.

"And I really don't know if I still would've made a move if it hadn't been for Fat Amy's dad kidnapping us and us escaping off an exploding boat," Chloe continued. "But something like that happens, you kinda owe it to the universe to make changes, you know? To grab opportunities, to take risks and kiss the person we like."

Chloe said it with a lot of bravado and emphasis, but there was a hint of melancholy in her voice, something an ordinary or less empathetic person would not have picked up on, but not when you've known each other for the better part of a decade, and the worst part is, Aubrey knew the root of that melancholia, even if Chloe wasn't saying it.

And if Chloe wasn't saying it, then neither would Aubrey, because that was just a fraction of the bigger issue, and it was late and they were meeting Stacie for breakfast.

"Do you think you rushed it?" Aubrey asked.

Chloe pursed her lips. "In the moment? No."

"Since then?"

Chloe let out a breath. "I think I would have ended up kissing him eventually? But I just… I keep feeling like there could've been more to it. Like that night shouldn't have been our first kiss."

Aubrey sighed. "Chloe, do you like the guy?"

"Of course I like him, what kind of question is that?"

"A pretty important one, I think." Aubrey shrugged. "Because it's hard enough finding someone you like, and who likes you back, in the way you want them to like you back. So maybe you messed up the where and when, and maybe even the hows and whys, of your first kiss, but you're right: you almost get kidnapped on an international criminal's boat, you make the most of what happens when you get back to shore."

"You say that, so why haven't you made a move on Stacie?"

Aubrey groaned.

"Aubrey, seriously, she likes you back."

"And her life just had its own major change, Chloe. I can't just—" Aubrey was interrupted when her phone chimed with an incoming message.

Chloe peered at the name on the locked screen. "But she texts you in the middle of the night?"

"Bella hasn't locked on to a proper sleep schedule yet, so," Aubrey unlocked her phone to read the message. She read it, and furrowed her brow.

"What?" Chloe asked, wanting to be in on the confusion.

"She's asking if I think she needs nipple shields."

"Are those like nipple clamps?"

Aubrey paused, and then shot Chloe an odd look. "I don't think so…" She did a quick internet search, and Chloe watched as Aubrey's complexion grew increasingly pink.

"Are you thinking of Stacie's nipples?" Chloe asked.

"No." A lie, but Chloe was going to allow it.

"So you still think she doesn't like you?"

"How is her asking if she needs… Did you know there are nipple ointments?"

"She clearly wanted you to think of her nipples, therefore her boobs, and their increased size, which, wow, and—"

"Please stop talking about her breasts," Aubrey requested.

"I'm just saying…"

"That's the delivery service of nourishment to her child," Aubrey reminded, scoldingly.

"Yeah, and _I'm_ not getting text messages asking about nipple shields." Chloe retorted.

"You're the one who went straight to 'nipple clamps'." Aubrey argued.

"You don't just text your friends about things boob-related if you don't want them thinking of your boobs." Chloe pressed.

"You're going to hell."

"And you were thinking of her boobs from a question about nipple shields," Chloe shot back. "So I'll see you there."

"I know." Aubrey sighed with a small measure of misery, and placed her phone back on the table. "Hell burns that right out of you, right?"

Chloe pointed at her phone. "What did you say?"

"Nothing; I'm not going to answer while I'm thinking prurient thoughts about something as innocent as nipple shields and, I don't know, nursing bras."

Chloe smiled knowingly. "Easy access?"

"Shut up."

Chloe laughed.

Aubrey frowned at her nearly-empty bowl, and shook her head. "I need more ice cream."

"Yeah, you know excessive eating of comfort foods can be a sign you're sexually frustrated," Chloe teased.

"Hell." Aubrey reminded, approaching the refrigerator.

Chloe glanced over her shoulder at her. "You know you're risking a lot to leave your phone unlocked where I can reach it and text Stacie about your prurient thoughts about her boobs, right?"

"You can do the right thing, Chloe, I know it." Aubrey replied.

Chloe sighed, because while she really – _really_ – wanted to go ahead and take matters into her own hands in getting the gears moving in regard to the Aubrey-Stacie could-be relationship, she also knew there was a reason why Aubrey had reservations, and any steps in that situation would have to happen between Aubrey and Stacie.

"I'll make you a deal," Aubrey offered, sitting back down across from Chloe.

Chloe quirked an eyebrow.

"You talk to Chicago, slow things down so you can figure out your relationship with him. You don't have to say you think you moved too fast, but you're starting vet school and you could be moving soon, he'll understand. But you have to tell him something."

Chloe nodded, because she'd actually been thinking the same thing, but it was nice to have her thoughts echoed by someone who knew her well. "Okay."

Aubrey smiled.

"Uh," Chloe frowned at her. "What's your end of the deal?"

"I'll talk to Stacie."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"That your brain went to her boobs when she asked about nipple shields?"

Aubrey glared at her. "That I like her."

"That you _love_ her."

"Chloe."

"You actually smiled and claimed 'happy accidents' when she said she was pregnant but made it clear the dad's not in the picture."

"She doesn't know who it is." Aubrey reminded.

"And you're so glad." Chloe noted.

Aubrey refused to dignify that statement with a response.

There was a momentary pause while they both considered what the offered deal would mean for their respective lives and relationships, but knew it was the right thing to do, and inevitable.

"Look at us," Chloe observed, smiling at Aubrey. "Doing the mature thing."

"Growing up and stuff." Aubrey agreed.

"I went to S&M and you went to boobs at 'nipple shields', though." Chloe pointed out.

Aubrey laughed. "Maybe we don't tell Stacie that."

"Stacie's like one of the few people you can tell that to and get it, though." Chloe noted.

Aubrey acknowledged that point.

Chloe finished her ice cream, and leaned back. "Thanks for this, Aubrey."

Aubrey glanced at her.

"Staying up. And the ice cream."

Aubrey smiled. "Anytime."

"You know if I get in, I could decide to save on rent and move in with you." Chloe told her.

Aubrey's smile grew. "I know."

"And, hey, maybe this time we'll actually be able to live with each other, right?" Chloe grinned back, getting to her feet.

"Leave the dish, I'll clean up." Aubrey told her.

Chloe nodded, and kissed the top of Aubrey's head as she moved past her friend en route to the guest bedroom.

After a moment, Aubrey picked up her phone, and typed out a message.

_Wasn't sure what those were but Chloe thought they're like nipple clamps._

The answer came quickly. _Lol. Me too._

Aubrey hadn't yet started on a response when another incoming message came.

_What did you think, tho?_

Aubrey paused, because this _had_ to be a test. Not from Stacie, but of her own ability to be honest with the girl she'd downplayed a crush on for years. She'd made a deal with Chloe, yes, but she hadn't set a timeline for that.

And yet.

She typed out her reply, and after barely a minute after having sent it, her phone chimed once more.

_You're welcome. ;)_

Aubrey laughed, and set her phone back on the table to finish her ice cream.

And then her phone rang.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An element of this was inspired by [this fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13907877).


End file.
